Checking in on Playa Restoration

It certainly was an unusual year out in the Black Rock Desert, but every year of building, experiencing, then tearing down Black Rock City has been unusual in one way or another. This year, there was a significant early rain storm associated with Hurricane Hilary that, after the waters receded, left the playa hard-packed. This was followed by several bright, temperate, wild and wonderful days during which the city thrived in all the ways we see each year — the art was magnificent, mutant vehicles were roaming, theme camp offerings were in full swing, and the energy was high.

And then the rain came again, which needs no introduction.

Thanks in large part to Burning Man participants staunchly embracing a Leave No Trace principle, removing matter out of place together, this year’s playa restoration benefited from that shared commitment on full display

We figured we’d chat with the people who are on the ground in the Black Rock Desert right now — Department of Public Works (DPW) and Playa Restoration (Resto) staff — for an update on the playa, just a few weeks out from our annual inspection. 

“De-fence day” — volunteers rolling up the perimeter fence (Photo by DA)

So how did the citizens of Black Rock City leave the playa in 2023? It turns out that, to quote Chris ‘Chaos’ Neary, Associate Director of the DPW, which packs up city infrastructure, removes any large abandoned items, and takes down the perimeter fence, “The participants did an amazing job… that’s why it’s so frustrating for me to hear all this conjecture in the media… It’s really not like that at all. It’s phenomenal out there.”

Site of Center Camp, September 15, 2023 (Photo by DA)

Do tell. 

Post event, DPW and Resto teams found themselves on a perfectly hard-packed playa beneath clear, dust-free skies. Chaos continued: “At no point during the event cycle did we have any significant amounts of blowing dust. So what we have is a very flat, mostly hard playa surface in all the open areas, which means that there’s very little MOOP out there, and the MOOP that is there is going to be really easy to find. From a line sweeping perspective, it’s a huge, huge advantage. But we will definitely have time to do the city grid with two complete passes and then do focused effort on the hotter areas that we determine through those two passes of the city grid.”

While a small minority of participants (from around 180 camps) felt compelled to leave while the playa was still wet for various reasons, the majority stayed until the playa dried out, AND did an exceptional job MOOPing before they left. Black Rock City’s Playa Restoration Manager, Dominic ‘DA’ Tinio, who leads the Restoration (Resto) Team that sweeps behind the DPW to pick up every last woodchip, zip tie and widget, chimed in, “I think the participants worked smarter, not harder, after all of us getting our asses kicked last year in the dust storm and the heat, and I really think that people were bringing their best to this year. I think people were keeping it clean right up until the point where it rained. So if it’s clean when it rains, we’re still pretty good. If it’s MOOPy and it rains, that’s when we’re in trouble. I feel like it was a great year all around. This rain thing is just what it was, and most people sat out the rain and they just waited for it to dry and then they just packed up their stuff and they drove off the playa.”

Site of the Temple of the Heart, September 15, 2023 (Photo by DA)

Those abandoned vehicles and couches? We hate to see anything left behind, but it’s important to note that there were no more this year than in previous years. “Every year we have to do what we call large abandoned item removal,” Chaos said. It’s a process by which we sweep the city and gather up all the loose objects. This year was a very average year as far as items left behind by camps. We actually had significantly fewer camps that really abandoned a lot of their stuff. In a lot of years we have 10 or 12 problem camps. This year it was only two or three places where a camp clearly just abandoned a bunch of stuff.”

“We have sometimes vehicles that were misplaced, sometimes someone was medevaced or something along those lines, and their car’s still out there. Sometimes a rental vehicle gets abandoned or a trailer, two people don’t agree on who’s picking it up and then nobody picks it up. This year, we probably had about 20 or so vehicles left behind like that… We have been able to successfully get all of those vehicles handled by the owners or the companies that were serving those owners. So there are no remaining unknown vehicles left out there.”

8 Mile playa entrance that leads to what was Gate Road, September 15, 2023 (Photo by DA)

Many people have expressed heartfelt concern for the condition of our bumpy playa. Thank you! We love the playa and are moved that you care deeply about its ruts and bumps. It turns out a rough playa like the one we have this year is easier to remediate than last year’s dunes. Chaos explained, “The ruts and holes caused by vehicles is a real issue but one that can be mitigated fairly easily by dragging and watering. This process breaks down bumps and high spots, and then fills in the depressions. We have a lot of experience with this and are conducting these operations currently.”

In addition to our operational methods, Mother Nature plays a big role. Chaos reminds us: “Our experience tells us that if there is a lot of rainwater and we get a lake on the playa this winter, there will be almost no evidence of the 2023 event. Even without the lake, the annual snow and rain will erase the majority of the bumpiness.”

What is the prognosis as we roll into the month-long 2023 Playa Restoration season? Chaos continued: “I’m optimistic that we’re going to have a good Resto season with favorable weather conditions and no blowing dust. And that will result in a clean playa and hopefully a good result on our [Bureau of Land Management] inspection.”

Our partners at BLM shared:

“Burning Man is in the process of playa restoration,” said BLM Black Rock Field Office Assistant Field Manager, Andy Boerigter, on Friday, September 15. “Yesterday, I had a conversation on the playa with Chaos, and it appears the Playa Restoration team is working hard, and on schedule with the clean-up. The Black Rock Field Office staff will continue to monitor the event site until the post-event inspection in a few weeks.”

Point 3 in deep playa, September 15, 2023 (Photo by DA)

DA expressed his gratitude to Black Rock City participants for the current, encouraging state of the playa: “This community is awesome. They leave no trace so well. I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t believe. And I believe with my own eyes… I’ve been here for a long time. Nobody has stared at the ground watching the community MOOP or the Black Rock Desert conditions longer than I have, and I’m just like, ‘Watch us. We’re going to leave no trace, bitches.’”

For a little more behind-the-scenes action with Chaos, check out this clip of an interview with Profiles in Dust videographer Terry Pratt:


Header image: Site of the Man Base, September 15, 2023 (Photo by DA)

About the author: Burning Man Project

Burning Man Project

The official voice of the Burning Man organization, managed by Burning Man Project's Communications Team.

71 Comments on “Checking in on Playa Restoration

  • David Nelson says:

    Thank you so much for the update. I have faith in the DPW and Resto crew. I am going to make sure to have a big care package for them next year as I am leaving. I am actually inspired to figure out how to stay an extra week and help.

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  • Robert lizanetz AKA wavy/burner1 says:

    Excellent, job well done!!!)'(

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  • The Dude says:

    Damn they’re good. Thanks to all.

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  • jon anderson says:

    I hope all those media outlets who had negative things to say about Burning Man during the rain, come back and see what “leave no trace” really means

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  • marlys mathis says:

    i figured the media was blowing this all out of proportion,they sensationalize everything

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  • Lightman says:

    Hi.

    I was curious about moop that might have gotten buried in the mud, and hence now below the playa surface.

    Thanks!

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  • Dragon says:

    Our camp was really concerned about damage and debris left by folks departing early. Glad it turned out for the better. Exodus road on Wednesday post event was the smoothest I can remember over past several years. Thanks Resto for all the great work!

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  • Jack says:

    Best wishes to Chaos, DPW, DA, and Team Resto. My only regret is that I can’t be there with you. (After a month on playa and two mudstorms, I was pretty beat. Maybe next year.)

    Keep up the good work, my people!

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  • Merry Curtis says:

    As one who has been (vicariously to a burner event via son Christopher), I found this summary optimistic.

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  • Andrew Calo says:

    I don’t understand. I thought the burn was cancelled for all time because of Moopocalypse?

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  • Faydene Farrell Oliver says:

    Thank you for posting this update. It is refreshing and comforting to be made aware of the facts of the situation and the responsible, caring efforts to care for the event’s impact on the desert.

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  • Tom Earley says:

    I was so sure the media and “bloggers” were so off base with the comments stating how many have left so much behind. I have never been yet, but it burns me how reports were so dramatic even before anyone left. I have been searching almost every day for a story like this. Now they need to report this! Great job!!! Looking forward to attending sometime soon

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  • Mark says:

    It’s not moop if you can’t see it beneath the playa surface, eh? Which I would expect bunch to be buried under the mud a few inches

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  • Shawn Smith says:

    Living in Fernley and spending a lot of time in the desert north of pyramid lake. I can tell you that your “leave no trace” ethos only applies to the Playa. The attendees of your ridiculous festival dump garbage, and gear absolutely everywhere, in town, and in the desert. As well as having zero respect for the communities, and people that call this area home. This is why most local people hate burning man, and the people that come with it. Most of us are hoping that BLM no longer allows burning man to use the black rock. Maybe it might be time to consider a change of venue?

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    • LoveNevada says:

      Couldn’t Agree More!

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      • Sally says:

        I’m so sorry about the impact on local communities, there seems to be a large contingent of partiers who don’t get that it’s not just a bacchanalia. Do the surrounding communities have a way to report the issues? I think that input should be gathered every year and we as a community should work to improve it every year just like we do the burn. Happy to help if there is a way I can, this is every bit as important as keeping the Playa clean.

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    • Greg Walljasper says:

      I absolutely love participating in the burning Man event precisely because it is “ridiculous” , thank you.

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    • Kate Russell says:

      I am very sorry that some Burners are so disrespectful and thoughtless about the surrounding areas. No one should be littering. We all know better. Most of us care about and love the desert, too.

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    • Playagia says:

      What could have predicted a city of 80,000 would need trash services? All of human history.
      The idea that BM doesn’t need dumpsters is absurd. Every year we see the results for hundreds of miles in all directions.
      It’s pretentious to imagine 80k high on drugs leaving no trace.
      You can buy anything at BM except a place to dump trash responsibly.

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    • DD says:

      I assure you the Black Rock, the roadsides, Gerlach and the Rez are MUCH cleaner than they were in the 1980s, before Burning Man started passing through. But maybe you weren’t around then to remember all the trash and broken bottles.

      If you happen to drive through before cleanup is final, you will see lost items and some trash that has fallen off vehicles because city people don’t understand loads or wind.

      But it all gets picked up.

      And apologies to any locals who got gifted a mess and cleaned it up themselves.

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    • Ranger Rafter says:

      Mr. Smith, I have been to the last five Burns and always stay in Fernley two days before and at least one day after at Desert Rose RV park. I have met many Fernley residents and have never heard a comment like yours from any of them. Some residents may not completely understand our ethos, and I get that, but everyone I met has been welcoming, friendly and supportive of the Burners as they come through town. I am saddened to see your comment and encourage you contact Burning Man Org to voice your individual concerns. I am certain they will be addressed and resolved. I get into town the Tuesday before the Burn and would be grateful if you stopped by for a chat. We probably have more in common than you realize

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  • Dave Cooke says:

    I saw DA in GQ Magazine! Sexy!

    -Slickfinger, DPW 2002-2008

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  • qqtpie says:

    This is the first year I’ve been able to stay for all of Resto. I’m super excited. We have a lot of great people out here and we are having a ton of fun!

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  • Delmer Buddy Totten says:

    The media can make hay and jump up and down all they like (which they’re only doing for ratings and clicks) but TTITD will always be LNT. We will always build BRC and we will always burn the man. THANK YOU DWP AND RESTO!!

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  • tonyr says:

    Hi all, it was one hell of a year which piggybacked 2022’s dust and heat – 2023 rain and cooler temps – it sure makes a call out to veterans and newbies to wake up and be prepared for anything and all the playa and mother nature has to offer as part of being out there in her wonderland. Hats off to all the folks who did their part – mopping – not letting it hit the ground, picking it up, and cleaning up. I know I saw and picked up a lot of moop prior to the rains – those batteries,broken lights and other items we all see peeking out – up at us as we travel about the playa – IS MOOP and needs to be picked up as soon as you see it. Not just at the end of the event. I carry a bag on my bike and on me to collect it. My campmates hate riding with me as I stop at each stopping to collect it. I know I am not alone. I have actually found some very interesting items and keepsakes laying in the dust which multiple folks simply travel over without given a look at. I even found an iPhone 13 which have been missing for 5 days… the owner finally got it back on Monday departure. It laid on the playa in the dust with a dead battery. As a 17 year burner who is still learning – we can all benefit from “stopping and smelling the roses ” along the way. I grew up on a farm/ranch and we always had to run farrows over the fields after we seeded the hay to level it out and prevent ruts. It works and the playa will survive. Good luck resto and remember there are many others out here wanting and willing to help – just reach out with the call

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    • Infostack says:

      @tonyrr this was my first Burn. It was tremendous. 2 things: I don’t understand the use of stickers with wax paper backings that one peels off and has a hard time disposing of. Isn’t that as bad as beads and glitter? Second, I saw a picture of the furrowing to restore the playa. Should DPW use a similar concept when watering the roads during the week. My observation is that the water doesn’t permeate the top layer at all; which I saw with the first rain Friday as I pushed by useless bike back home and subsequent 1/4 inch mud-layer clodding up above dry dirt. So without a tiller that breaks up the already packed dirt on the road before the sprayer enabling the water to permeate faster to a lower layer, the water trucks just create more dangerous conditions and promote densifying or hardening the top layer. I witnessed this first hand at Census Lab standing at center camp for 3 hours during a particularly dusty afternoon and watching the water trucks roaming too and fro. I had to warn everyone of the dangerous mud left by the truck and a lot of cyclists and even pedestrians fell. But my broader hypothesis is that this process of watering already well trafficked areas ultimately made things worse when the real rains came and the water had no-where to go but puddle in ruts. If the dirt had been more elastic to begin with might conditions have been a tad better? I’m not a geologist or pedologist, especially not with the BRD, but maybe the DPW can run an experiment of putting a tiller between the rear of the truck and the sprayer?

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  • Azzurro says:

    Awesome,
    once more it shows that the burners are a community.
    A community that cares for each other and everything around.
    Great thanks goes to our defence team and everyone that helps us to return for many more years.

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  • steve Lawton says:

    Really?!! Do you think the media is going to print the truth

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  • el Chrispy says:

    I happily MOOPed the Glennns. And hope fessing up/bragging about such doesn’t end badly for me.

    Disclaimer: Beware the orange shit cone.

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  • Patience says:

    they always leave trash.

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  • G says:

    No mention of bikes. Does this mean last year’s bikepocalypse isn’t repeating?

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  • Brian J salls says:

    This is so awesome to hear, the new as usual blows things out of perportion. Counting the days until I will have the time and money to attend again. Miss all you wonderful beautiful people

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  • Doc Wilder says:

    Thank you Resto team!!!

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  • Bobby Atkinson says:

    I always enjoy hearing about the Playa and Burning Man. This was an unusual year but that’s just life and people adapt. I have never been to BM but I truly hope to be there for the 2024 BM. Thank you to all the people that come together to make BM happen.

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  • Frederick Heim says:

    So glad to hear cleanup is going better than the news reports, We were there last year in the heat and dust storms. Those pics look awesome. Looks like the Playa will be in fine form next year thanks to a lot of hard work.

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  • Jeff jones says:

    Shout out to the grilled cheese making maestro— Uncle Buck!

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  • Liz says:

    You are amazing Chaos – what a solid video.

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  • Willy says:

    Attendees chose to leave their trace in the surrounding towns, along the roadways and beyond. What a success!

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  • San says:

    2023 done
    2024 to come

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  • Azriel says:

    Dem my peeps right there. Thanks for the article. It is what I thought and was related in my discussions with community members that attended but as stated not at all what was reported in the general media.

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  • Ann Carpenter says:

    It will be more credible and affirming to have a 3rd party assessment of environmental, clean up, and restorative conditions on the Playa. Especially after this wet destructive year, and decades of use, over use of this area, and the playa in general. Do the right thing, Burning M an, and fund a 3rd party contractor that the BLM chooses to oversee, direct and report on this year’s impacts, clean up, and restoration work. Other industries adhere to this format (oversight on BLM lands) and so should this organization

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  • Susan gunn says:

    Impressive. Great job despite all the criticism Burning Man receives….

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  • Tony says:

    My boys and I just transeted the black rock Playa on our way to the high rock caynon. I was amazed by the scale of the clean up effort . It looked industrial with a steady stream of 18 wheelers hauling stuff out. But keep driving and they fade over the curve of the earth and it’s all salt flats. (Sorry flat Earthers)

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    • Byron Olson says:

      Ha ha ha… apologies to Flat Earthers? Patient observers of sunrises and sunsets will see a few minutes on partially clouded days where the sun’s rays ignite the underside of clouds in brilliant pink and orange hues. This would not be possible if our Earth were flat. Flat Earth is a whimsical fantasy, not the conclusion of sound observation.

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  • Hmmmm says:

    Now if only you guys could maintain that LNT thing all the way from the Playa back home, and stop trashing the highway between Gerlach and Reno…

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    • Karen Smith says:

      It’s not considered ‘trashing’. The Playa is our mecca and where we gather to build our energy to go out and change the world. If some litter happens then it’s acceptable. We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams..

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      • Bill says:

        You must not live in the area Karen …. LNT means LNT.
        This has become such a hypocritical joke.
        Please read all the other comments on here about all the trash, not just on the playa, but all the way to Reno and beyond.
        LNT… what a joke

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  • Einstein says:

    As wonderful as it is to hear that the DOW and Resto teams are doing the great work of restoring the Black Rock Desert, it’s very distressing to hear reports of burners leaving MOOP, trash and more by the road and in the small towns they passed through as they traveled home.
    I saw one news report that mentioned much of the roadside trash was being picked up by the DPW/Resto teams, but what of the stuff in the towns and farther down 447?
    Why does LNT end at the gravel for so many?
    (Sigh…)

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    • Einstein says:

      *DPW and Resto teams*

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    • Playagia says:

      The 395 south is trashed as well. I found several places along the Walker river where people has washed their cars with river water leaving massive piles of playa mud that will be there for decades. Also found lots of trash and burner clothing.
      I stopped by a couple local hot springs and found large groups of burners had taken over and been camping for weeks, washing their belongings in a pristine creek ( bad camping and hot spring etiquette).
      I’m frustrated and also very disappointed. Hundreds of miles of destruction from the LNT gang.

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  • Generator says:

    Wow… They are so damn good at this. Well done Chaos and everyone!!!

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  • Present says:

    I love all of this. Thank you from all of my deep places. Truly.

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  • Playagia says:

    I’d like to see an effort to clean up the trash that blows over and through the fence. 10 miles north on the Playa there is a depressing amount of Burner trash scattered in the brush up there.
    Maybe burners could spend some time out there before the event.
    When I talk to locals that land sail on the Playa say it’s getting worse and worse every year. There are more than a few traces.

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  • Kalamitee says:

    Can someone PLEASE start a program to educate people on NOT dumping trash in RENO parking lots???? Omg! At the Grand Sierra Resort on Thursday night there were PILES of trash in the parking lot dumped by burners. As I stood in disbelief staring at the disgusting mess, an RV covered in playa stopped, the driver exited with three huge bags and threw them on top of the pile. WTF?! Our reputation and our principles need to expand outwards to neighboring cities!

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  • Present says:

    Many thanks from all of my depths.

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  • PK says:

    Congrats Burners & Resto.

    AND it is time to do better on LNT leaving the playa. We would love BM org to take stronger stance on LNT & garbage post burn. Could a demo project copying Sweden’s garbage -> energy be piloted?

    Turn the garbage into energy for the citizens that have to tolerate the playa masses every year?

    Surely Burners without Borders could knock this out of the park: https://www.blueoceanstrategy.com/blog/turning-waste-energy-sweden-recycling-revolution/

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  • Amy Pitner says:

    What of the porta potty crew/ business ? I can’t imagine their leave no trace experience was quite the same

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    • Eeeeeuuuuu says:

      Lots of talk of MOOP. I’ve been wondering about Poop also POOP (Pee out of place) from the overflowing porta potties, and the creative “elimination” that occurs when the porta potties are in appalling condition.

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  • Bill says:

    I wish when all is said and done that they left no trace in Reno.
    Piles of trash, discarded bikes and furniture laying next to any already full dumpster they could find.
    Happens every year.

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  • Jenny says:

    The important thing is that BMorg can bring enough water out there to even out the ruts so we can pass. The good news is that most of the moop is buried below the surface and they can’t tell how bad it actually is out there. It all looks good to me. Let’s party like it’s next year! And I live in Reno – all the trash that Burners dumped on the city is gone like magic. Like nothing ever happened. There’s still mud/dust in the parking lots but that’s why God invented rain and stuff.

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  • John Reigle says:

    Eastbound I-80 stops had lots of trash as well. Dumpsters at Bonneville Salt flats were overflowing, with much of it good stuff that (apparently) folks who flew into Salt Lake City and rented RV’s couldn’t get rid of before turning in the RV’s. A shame to see so much new and lightly used stuff in the trash. Maybe there could be a place to discard saleable stuff for the benefit of the local tribes someplace between the playa and Fernley??

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  • bassboss says:

    In theory, Leave No Trace is a great idea. In practice, it needs work.

    Sometimes you have to look at a rule, aka a principle, and evaluate its intent. However the LNT principle was originally intended, apparently, shockingly, some people don’t adhere to it at all, and some adhere to it only until they reach tarmac, or some other line they cross in their minds.

    Providing trash services anywhere on Playa would seem to somehow violate the LNT principle, but is holding to the principle more important than preventing the damage caused by those who, at some point on their journey, violate that principle?

    How hard would it be to get 20 construction dumpsters deposited alongside the exodus road? Yes, wind could blow trash out of them, but why not cover them with netting? People are sitting still for essentially hours along the road and so could discard items that would be likely to fall off/blow off their vehicles. Sure, some people would dump garbage they could pack out, but those are the same people who would dump their garbage in a parking lot or in a private dumpster anyway.

    The responsible, principled burners would still pack their stuff out. The highways would be spared, the local communities would be spared and the reputation of Burning Man and the Burners would all be spared the damages associated with being trashed.

    And maybe the work of the DPW and Resto teams would get a little bit easier! Much appreciation to them for their efforts!

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    • Mama Cher says:

      GLEA aka Lakes of Fire does this. They have huge dumpsters placed by the gate at the end of the burn. During exodus camps & burners can go and throw bags & items into it for $5 a bag or item. The money collected gets donated to the Rothbury Fire Dept. Helps keep the surrounding communities cleaner and helps the local fire dept that volunteer their time to oversee the burn.

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